


Drarry 8th Year

by maraudersromance



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Gay, Hogwarts Eighth Year, M/M, Minor Violence, My First Fanfic, No Smut, POV Harry Potter, Pining, Post-War, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, References to Depression, Roommates, Soft Draco Malfoy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:55:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27227698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maraudersromance/pseuds/maraudersromance
Summary: What happens when Draco Malfoy comes back to Hogwarts after the war and Harry  decides that they're going to be friends ?
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley
Comments: 5
Kudos: 217





	Drarry 8th Year

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone ! This is my first HP fanfiction ! Hope you like it ! If you do, please leave a comment, it's always very appreciated !  
> So here's my take on the 8th Year Drarry, it's not very orignal and a little bit cliché, but I've always wanted to write my own version. 
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr : mauraudersromance  
> And if you like Klaine (Glee), here's my AUs Instagram : @klaineystories

When Harry came back to Hogwarts after the war, the last person he expected to see was Draco Malfoy. All death eaters had been judged and Lucius Malfoy had been sentenced to a life in Azkaban. His wife and son had, so far, been keeping a low profile. They hadn’t appeared in public since the trial. So one can imagine the surprise seizing all the Hogwarts students when Draco Malfoy entered the Great Hall on the first day of school. The whole room went quiet for a few seconds, as the silver-haired boy sat quietly at the Slytherin Table. 

Harry couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He couldn’t take his eyes away from the other boy. He had changed since the last time he’d seen him. He’d never looked worse. He was thin, too thin, he had bags under his eyes and his skin was even whiter than usual. He was still full of grace and dignity, but something about him seemed off, far from the flamboyant Slytherin Prince he had been once. 

“Harry, wake up. You’ve been staring at Draco Malfoy for 15 minutes straight.” said Hermione 

“Your jaw’s practically on the floor mate. What’s wrong ?” added Ron 

“Did you know he was coming back ?” asked Harry. Both his friends shrugged. He didn’t exactly know why, but he was breathless and fluttered. 

And then it happened, it lasted less than a second, but Draco’s eyes met his. He felt a jolt of electricity going through his body. He buried in face in his empty plate and didn’t look up for the rest of the feist. He didn’t talk either. He had never been much of a talker but, after the war, he’d shut himself down completely. The only people he would ever talk to were his closest friends, and right now he really didn’t feel like it. He looked up and saw Ron whispering in Hermione’s hear, making her blush and giggle, by giving a quick look at his right he saw Ginny and Luna staring at each other, smiling softly.  
He and the red-haired girl had both decided a few months ago that they were better off as friends. Harry did love Ginny, but he’d realized that only ever been in a brotherly way, and that their relationship had never felt natural or easy. Ginny was now dating Luna, though only a few people knew. Harry was really happy for them, all of them, but he felt more alone than ever. Ron had Hermione, Ginny had Luna… Everyone was settling but him. The war had changed him, perhaps just as much as it had apparently changed Draco. He wasn’t the Golden Boy anymore. He rarely felt happy or hopeful, he still felt as if he had the weight of the world in his shoulders. But he couldn’t let it show, he was the savior of the Wizarding World, he had to be strong, he couldn’t just break down. People needed him, and the people he really needed weren’t there to help him anymore. They were gone. How was everything supposed to go back to normal now ? How were the others moving on so fast when he still felt completely lost ?

After the feist, they were led by Professor McGonagall to a tower that had been arranged to welcome all the 8th year, those whose 7th year had been interrupted by the war. There were no more houses, they all shared one Common Room. Few people had decided to come back, there were only two rooms in the boy’s dormitories. Harry knew he and Ron were the only boys from Gryffindors left. When they arrived in their new room, they saw five four-poster beds with grey curtains. He realized that his bad feeling was legitimate, as Draco Malfoy was already sitting on the bed next to his, reading. He probably left the feist early, thought Harry. Ron rolled his eyes, ready for a fight, but Harry shushed him by a calm look. 

“Hi” said Harry, his heart beating a bit faster.

Draco looked up from his book, seeming genuinely surprised that someone would talk to him 

“Hi” he whispered shyly, which Harry couldn’t help but find cute. 

Harry wasn’t used to this : a shy, cautious Draco. Maybe they could do this : live with each other without trying to kill each other every second. And even if all of this was just a big plot to hurt him, he’d rather have Draco here, near him. To keep an eye on him. 

And so, life went on. Draco didn’t talk much. He didn’t talk at all to be honest. He spent all his lessons in the back of the class, all his lunches sitting alone at the Slytherin table. No one ever talked to him, even Slytherins avoided him. In the halls, he could hear people whispering behind his back, calling him all sorts of name. Harry heard it too, he heard it all. He was never really far from Draco. He wasn’t really following him like he used to in 6th Year, just watching over him. Many times he had stopped bullies from assaulting Draco. It wasn’t that hard : a simple look from him seemed to terrify most people. Every time, Draco thanked him with a quick nod and ran away before Harry could talk to him. Even in their bedroom, they avoided talking to each other and were hardly ever alone. The rare times this happened, they both opened a book and read in silent. Harry actually loved these moments, they felt oddly intimate, him reading in his bed, only hearing Draco’s soft breathing, learning how to cohabitate with him, learning how to relax himself, how to just let it be. Many times, Harry caught himself glancing at the other boy, sometimes just a little too long. 

He had always known that Draco was an attractive guy, but now that his obnoxious personality wasn’t getting in the way, he could finally truly admire his handsome features : cloudy grey almond eyes, marble skin, high cheekbones, and soft gorgeous silver hair that Harry dreamed of touching. He still slicked his hair back, but way less than he used too. What Harry liked the most was his hair in the morning, going in every direction possible ; it actually looked a lot like his own hair. Harry’s favorite spectacle, though, was Draco reading : long beautiful fingers going eagerly through the pages, Draco’s face livening, going through every emotion. It was the only time he just let himself be himself. Watching him, Harry really did feel like a creep. Clearly, his obsession with Draco Malfoy wasn’t gone, its nature had just changed. Or had it ? Harry was starting to wonder if he had ever really hated Draco. And, as he laid facing Draco Malfoy’s bed during the night, watching him sleep, feeling his own heartbeat unusually going faster, he really doubted it. For the first time in what felt like forever, Harry could finally feel again. And he didn’t want to let go if this feeling, whatever it was.  
His opportunity to get closer to Draco Malfoy came up about a month after the start of the first term, in Potions, when Professor Slughorn asked everyone in the room to pair up for the next potion. Obviously, Ron and Hermione paired up together, and Harry, far from being upset, decided to seize this chance. He immediately sprinted to the back of the room, where he knew no one would go. 

“Are you paired up with anyone ?” asked Harry. Draco looked up, with a surprised look, full of incomprehension. 

“You want to pair up… with me ?” he said. Harry smiled. 

“Yeah. So, can I ?” Harry answered, and Draco slowly nodded, making place for the other boy on the bench next to him. 

After Slughorn gave all the instructions, they started making the potion in silence. But somehow, it didn’t feel awkward, it felt reassuring. Having Draco Malfoy right next to him, occasionally brushing his arm against his own, felt oddly normal, Harry felt calm and focused. They stayed like this for the rest of the lesson, only talking to give the other advices or directions. At the end of the hour, Harry and Draco left together and started heading for their dorm. When in the room, Harry finally gathered the courage to start a conversation, fill this eternal silence between them. Thank Merlin, none of their roommates were back yet. Harry sat in his bed, facing Draco who was taking his shoes off. 

“So… how are you ?” he asked, blushing furiously. 

Draco chuckled lightly and seemed to think for a second before speaking up. 

“How am I ? Well… let’s see…”

“I’m sorry, that was a stupid question” said Harry “Obviously, you’re not fine”. Draco seemed taken aback. “Yeah, I mean your father is in jail. You’re back here, so you’re probably worried about leaving your mother alone. Also, everyone is avoiding you, or, worse, bullying you, you’re always alone, and you’re barely eating anymore.”

Draco raised his eyebrows “Didn’t know you spent so much time thinking about me and my problems Potter” he answered, before seeing Harry’s hurt look “I’m sorry, I’m sorry” he put his head in his hands “I’m sorry. I’m being a real jerk. It’s my coping mechanism I guess. I’m sorry and you’re right.”

Harry didn’t know what to answer, so he said the first thing that went through his mind 

“You need a butterbeer. We both need one.” 

“I don’t exactly disagree, but where are we going to find butterbeer at this hour of the day ?”

“Follow me” said Harry. Draco seemed to hesitate “Come on, there’s no trick Malfoy, I’m tired of fighting you”. 

Harry took the map and his invisibility cloak. Thankfully, a mysterious being (Harry was suspecting Peeves) had reinstalled all the secret passages of the castle. He covered himself and Draco with the cloak, and took the blond boy’s hand, trying to ignore the butterflies spreading in his stomach. They went down to the Common Room, were Ron and Hermione were doing their homework. Harry led Draco out of the room and through the halls of Hogwarts, running and still holding his hand, shushing him every time he tried to ask a question. They took Honeyduke’s secret passage, and quickly, they were in Hogsmeade. Draco was astonished. 

“There are secret passages in Hogwarts ?! And I didn’t know !! And… you have an Invisibility Cloak ?! That explains so much… And what is that map ?!” he was completely bewildered, and Harry loved seeing him life this, full of emotions, like he’d just been brought back to life. 

“Shut up and come drink with me” he said, before dragging the taller boy into the Three Broomsticks. 

And they talked. Maybe the alcohol helped, maybe they just needed to talk to someone who’d understand, maybe they had always wanted to talk like this and were finally spilling everything they had to say. They talked for hours about everything. About the war, sharing their trauma. About their life at home. Draco was horrified to discover what Harry had been through for years and Harry found out more about the grip that Voldemort had on everyone, and how Draco had let himself get influenced and controlled by him. They talked about Snape, about Dumbledore, about Sirius. Harry reminded Draco that Teddy, his godson, was technically Draco’s cousin and that he ought to come see him someday. They talked about lighter things, Quidditch, school subjects, their favorite bands (Harry discovered that Draco was a hard rock fan, and he hadn’t seen that one coming). They talked, and at the end of the day, both had made a new friend, and maybe more. 

After that, they started meeting very often to talk or to study. They always did it in secret, too scared of everyone’s reaction to their unexpected friendship. Ron and Hermione even thought that Harry had a new girlfriend, seeing him sneak out so often. He always laughed, but deep down these remarks gave him a heavy heart. Him becoming friend with Malfoy hadn’t stopped him from noticing how beautiful the blond-haired boy was. He only noticed it more, as he was now spending several hours a day staring at him and his adorable smirk, his shiny hair, his gorgeous eyes. Everything about him seemed almost godly to Harry. He had also discovered a new torture : Draco’s scent. He smelled like cologne and flowers and it often made Harry swoon. He was craving time with Draco, and their talking sessions were the best part of his days. In two weeks, he felt like he knew Draco Malfoy more than anybody on the planet, and he loved that idea.

One day, he bumped into Draco right after breakfast. The Slytherin was crying and Harry discreetly pulled him behind a tapestry. 

“What’s wrong” he asked, genuinely concerned

“My mom” answered Draco, sobbing “She’s at St Mungo’s, she had an accident. She’s going to be okay but… This is all my fault. I knew it, I never should have left her”. 

“Hey, hey” said Harry, placing his hands on Draco’s cheeks and wiping his tears away “None of this is your fault Draco. I’m so sorry. It’s gonna be alright…”.

“No it’s not. I don’t belong here. Everyone but you treats me like garbage. And I know I put on a brave face but it’s hard. I can’t do it anymore” said Draco, tears running down his face. 

“Hey, you can’t leave me. You can’t. I need you Draco, okay ? You’re better than they say and you’re better than you think. When I’m with you I feel like… like I’m alive, you know ? I can’t do this without you. You’re so brave. Come here.”

He took Draco in his arms and hugged him, burying his face in his neck for a long minute and softly rubbing his back, until the taller boy wasn’t crying anymore. 

“I have Quidditch practice right now. I’ll see you after lunch ?” said Harry. Draco nodded and gave him a weak smile. 

A few hours later, when Harry sat down in the Great Hall for lunch, he immediately spotted Draco, still seating alone at the Slytherin table. It was obvious he’d been crying, yet no one seemed to care, no one would approach him. Harry felt angry, revolted. Without even thinking, he got up and walked to the other side of the room, until he was right next to Draco. The latter looked up at Harry. 

“What are you doing ?” he asked, his face getting red

“Follow me”

“Harry I can’t-“

“Just follow me okay ?” and he took Draco’s stuff and lead him to the Gryffindor table. There, he made him sit down and he sat next to him. 

The whole room had gone quiet. Some people at the Gryffindor table even tried to protest but Harry quickly shouted “Nothing to see here” and conversations started again, though they were all about Harry and Draco. Hermione was speechless and Ron was looking at Draco like he was an alien. Ginny, on the contrary, was smiling knowingly. 

“There are no more houses. Those tables are irrelevant” said Harry, shutting up everyone around him. 

He then took a plate and started filling it, putting every sort of food he good find and handed it to Draco, whose face was now as red as the Gryffindor banner. 

“Eat. Please. I know you haven’t been eating, but you have to.” he whispered to him, putting his hand on his leg and pressing it. 

“So where does this come from ?” blurted out Hermione.

“What ?” said Harry, annoyed.

“You know what Harry. Are you two friends ?” she answered.

“Yes.” answered Harry, cutting her short. 

The rest of the lunch was silent. Harry knew his friends needed some time, but eventually, they’d get used to Draco, and maybe even start liking him. Anyway, Draco was not coming back to the Slytherin table anytime soon, and they were now officially friends. 

For a few weeks, all was well. They got to December without any incident. As planned, Ron and Hermione started relaxing around Draco. Ron and him would occasionally play chess or talk about Quidditch, and Hermione and him started bounding over books they’d read, and both loved. Harry loved watching Draco get along with his favorite people in the whole world. 

The two boys were closer than ever. They spent every minute of every day with each other. Draco had started eating normally again, and had gained some weight, making his features less pointy and sharp. He looked even prettier. At this point, Harry had acknowledged and accepted his crush on him. He’d decided not to start panicking and questioning everything, but rather to roll with it. Was he gay ? Bisexual ? Honestly, he had no idea and didn’t care. He’d decided to stop worrying about everything, and honestly figuring out his sexuality wasn’t his priority. However, his crush on the silver-haired boy had to remain a secret, he couldn’t risk ruining their friendship. He felt like Draco was the only thing keeping him sane and grounded, he needed him. 

The pressure on Draco, however, wasn’t diminishing. Every day more death eaters were found and sent to Azkaban and it seemed to trigger people. The only times Draco wasn’t with Harry, he kept being called out ; people were threatening him, “you’re gonna join your dad soon”, “you should have died in that battle”, “traitor”, “death-eater”. He could barely take it without bursting into tears. People were starting to get physically brutal again, shoving him against walls, throwing his stuff on the ground… He didn’t feel safe. He knew something was coming for him. 

And he was right. One day, Harry was on his bed, reading, when Draco burst into the room. Harry immediately noticed that the other boy wasn’t in his normal state. 

“Are you okay ?” he asked, walking towards him. Draco didn’t answer, he was holding his hand to his face. “Draco ? What happened ?” and then he noticed it “Oh Merlin. You’re bleeding. Draco you’re bleeding”. 

“I’m fine” said Draco, tears in his voice

“You obviously aren’t. Come” 

He dragged him to the bathroom to see clearer even though Draco tried to resist. He sat him in the edge of the bathtub. He really was bleeding. His nose was obviously broken, his left brow breach was open, his lower lip was cut, and he had a black eye. Harry felt his eyes filling up with tears. 

“Your beautiful face…” he said, horrified 

“You think I’m beautiful ?” answered Draco, he tried to smile but immediately winced at the pain. 

“Not the moment. You need to go to the infirmary, and I need to go kill whoever did this to you.” 

“No please” pleaded Draco, he sounded terrified “please, I want to stay here. With you. You’re the only thing that makes me feel safe.”

Harry heart melted hearing this. He nodded and reached for the first aid kit he kept in the bathroom and started to clean Draco’s face with it. He then used all the healing spells he knew to fix this mess. After an hour, his nose was back in its place and his eye looked better, though it wasn’t quite back to normal yet. 

“Thanks”

“Always” 

Harry finished by putting some healing cream on his beautiful white skin. He felt all flustered, touching him, being so close to him. Quickly, he lost himself in Draco’s shiny grey eyes. He was contemplating him, gently stoking his cheeks with his thumbs, a thousand emotions shaking his head up. 

“There’s one more thing I need you to do for me” said Draco, snapping Harry out of his daydreams. 

Harry was anxiously waiting outside the bathroom for Draco to get out of his shower. What had he done ? Sure, Draco had asked him to do that, but he probably should have stopped him. It was a reckless decision, very much unlike Draco. “I don’t want to look like him anymore” he’d said, begging Harry, shoving the bottle in his hands. 

Suddenly, the shower stopped. He heard Draco getting dressed and fumbling around the sink. A few minutes later, the bathroom door opened. 

Draco stood there, wearing tight jeans and an oversize ACDC t-shirt. But the most striking thing about him wasn’t his clothes. No, it was his hair. It was no longer blond and no longer gelled, but blue and wild, cut short on the sides but longer on the top. Harry felt compelled at this sight. Something about his eyes also looked different. 

“Are you wearing eye-liner ?” said Harry, trying to swallow, his heart beating like drums. 

Draco nodded with a little smile, his cheeks getting pink. 

“Fuck. You’re so beautiful” said Harry, speechless. And he walked over to the other boy until their faces were only centimeters away from each other. 

“I think I’m in love with you” he added, unable to take his eyes away from Draco’s gray ones. 

The blue-haired boy smiled, and he leaned down to press his lips against Harry’s. The kiss was soft and tender, both boys unsure, hesitating. Harry put his arms around Draco’s neck while Draco’s hands were losing themselves in Harry’s untidy dark hair. They stayed like this for a few minutes, everything going slowly and gently, both boys cautiously touching the other like they were porcelain and would break if then went too far. Each of Draco’s touches felt like a miracle to Harry, and he couldn’t imagine a better feeling in the world. Everything was starting to make sense, everything was falling into place, everything felt warm and good and heavenly. From the second their lips had met, he’d known that he had found his missing piece. And he wasn’t going to let it go. 

“I love you, Harry Potter. I always have.”


End file.
